


Stand By Me

by DesertLily



Series: Holidays 2019 [6]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Canon Era, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Misgendering, Jack Kelly worries about everything, Jack would do anything for his boyfriend, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, The Refuge, nb!Race, trans!crutchie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertLily/pseuds/DesertLily
Summary: Jack Kelly worried about many things but he worried about Crutchie most of all
Relationships: Crutchie/Jack Kelly, David Jacobs/Katherine Plumber (mentioned)
Series: Holidays 2019 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579699
Comments: 1
Kudos: 56





	Stand By Me

**Author's Note:**

> Another holiday fic for a friend! Idk how I feel about this

To call Jack Kelly a worrier would be an understatement. If there was something he could worry about, he would be worrying about it. He worried about the Strike. He worried about his boys. He worried about Crutchie. Charlie Morris - or Crutchie to anyone close to him - was perhaps the love of his life. Jack adored him more than anything - even more than his dreams of Santa Fe; his dreams of the future. There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for him. That’s why he’d become a scab. When Pulitzer had threatened his friends, all he could think about was Crutchie alone in the Refuge, vulnerable to whatever Snyder wanted to do him. The thought chilled Jack to the very core of his being.   
  
The reaction had been one he was expecting; fury. How could it not be? He had helped start the Strike. Hell, he had helped _lead_ it. Now, here he was telling them to give in to Pulitzer’s demands. In their position, Jack would hate himself too. In all honesty, he already did. The shame that had filled him when his friends had to watch that money being given to him was indescribable. It made him feel broken inside.   
  
Medda’s words filled his mind. Would running away to Santa Fe really help anything? Or was it a way to hide his shame? Then he thought of Crutchie and his shame increased by tenfold. Jack knew he would hate him for this. He had no doubt about it. He wouldn’t understand. None of them would. But Jack had always been a leader. It had always been his job to look after everyone. He couldn’t stop now - even if no one realised it. Yet that still wasn’t enough to quench the sense of loss he felt. By protecting them, he had lost the family he had with the Manhattan Newsies. His unofficial brothers. Maybe Race would do a better job at leading them than him. They always were the smart one. Might finally reach some sort of deal with Brooklyn too. At least that gave him a little reassurance.   
  
After what was probably too long, Jack returned to his rooftop. He took the fire escape up; unable to face any of the others by going inside the lodge house. What he hadn’t expected was to find Katherine _Pulitzer_ waiting for him. Jack should have known something was up the second she introduced herself as ‘Plumber’. He just hadn’t expected anything this serious. What came next was unexpected. An angry Katherine Pulitzer was evidently a force to be reckoned with as she seemed ready to rip him to shreds. He couldn’t help but think about how lucky Davey was to have such a spitfire by his side. Then Katherine revealed she had found his drawings and anxiety flooded through him. Those had been private for a reason. They had been his way for coping with practically being raised in the Refuge. But the idea she offered...It was too good to refuse.   
  
It was almost funny to be printing his own paper; a cry to arms to all the other working kids in the city. He just hoped it worked. He just hoped it was enough to get his family to stop looking at him with such unbelievable caution. Jack just wanted them to trust him again. He wanted it more than almost everything in the world. What he wanted most was Crutchie out of the Refuge and safe in his arms. This seemed like the best way to do it. Well, more specifically it was the _only_ way they had actually come up with and for once in his life, Jack Kelly had luck on his side. It seemed the paper had reached more people than he could ever hope as the working children brought New York City to a standstill. There was no way in hell Pulitzer could ignore them now. The Newsboy Union were going to be heard loud, clear, and on their own terms.   
  
The fact the Strike was successful barely felt real to Jack. Then there was Governor Roosevelt delivering the news that the Refuge was going to be closed due to his drawings and Jack swore his legs were going to give out under him. But then came the best of all. Leaning against his crutch and with a smile made of sunshine, Crutchie made his return. He may have been bruised up but he was safe. He wasn’t stuck there anymore and Jack was fairly certain he had never felt so relieved before. He wanted nothing more than to hug Crutchie and never let go. Jack couldn’t do it - not yet, at least. Not until they were in private.   
  
That night, the two of them lay bundled in blankets and cuddling close on the rooftop. Jack held Crutchie as close as he could. “You’s home now, Charlie, and I ain’t ever letting them take you again. Alright?” He murmured sweetly to him.   
  
Like always, a small smile crept on to Crutchie’s face. Somehow, he had a way of smiling through even the worst situations and god, Jack was proud of him for it. He may not be the strongest physically but mentally? Mentally, Crutchie was the strongest person he knew. “It was hell, Jack.” And God, if those words didn’t just break his heart. “They treated us like hell.” His voice cracked as he buried his face in Jack’s chest. His smile wavered. “They wouldn’t put me with the boys. They-“   
  
Jack was quick to cut him off, shushing him gently as he did his best to keep him calm. “I know but they’re wrong, okay? They’re wrong about a lot of things. Snyder’s dumber thanRacer and that’s saying something!” That at least got a shaky giggle to escape Crutchie’s lips. “You are the most handsome boy I have ever met and anyone who doesn’t see that is a fool, okay? You are Crutchie Morris and no one gets to say who you are but you, okay?”   
  
“Okay.” His voice was muffled by the way his face was pressed against Jack’s chest. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too.” For once, Jack thought things might be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Comments are always appreciated or hmu @ desert-lily on tumblr


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